Medieval Murders in Renhold

Volume 41 produced by Bedfordshire Historical Records Society in 1961 is devoted to 13th and 14th century coroner's rolls for Bedfordshire from the National Archives, edited and translated by R. F. Hunnisett. The first of the entries referring to incidents at Renhold is as follows: “After sunset on 12th May 1267 evildoers entered the house od Maud Oter of Renhold at Renhold, assaulted John of Cambridge there, killing him with “a pik” axe, and wounded Maud, who died on 19th May. They also struck Maud’s son Geoffrey with “a pik” axe and left him half-dead; he died later. The next day Maud raised the hue which was followed. Inquest before the same coroner [Simon the Red] by Ravensden, Wilden, Great Barford and Goldington, who said that the evildoers were unknown”.

At the eyre it was ordered that John of Cambridge and Geoffrey, son of Maud, who had withdrawn and were suspected of Maud Oter’s death, be exacted and outlawed and that they were strangers. This seems a very garbled account of events as both John of Cambridge and Geoffrey had been killed! Either the original coroner’s report was wrong about John of Cambridge being killed or there were two John of Cambridges. Maud’s son Geoffrey would not have been a stranger, so presumably the killer was another man named Geoffrey.

The next incident involved the coroner himself, Simon the Red: “At twilight on 1st August 1267 Roger of Benefield, Andrew Beufrere of Ramsey and twelve more other felons and thieves came to Simon the Red’s house at Renhold, entered it, found Simon there and without speaking immediately assaulted him with swords, struck him on the left arm [and[ between the shoulders with a copper mace, struck his daughter Maud on the right thigh and wounded his son John with an arrow between the elbow and hand almost through the middle of the arm. At length when John saw that they intended to kill his father, sister and himself and the whole household, he took an axe and struck Roger on the head so that he fell, and all the other felons immediately fled. [The household] immediately raised the hue, which was followed by the whole township, and [other] townships came. Roger died the next day. Before his death he confessed before Robert of Creakers and the township of Renhold that he came there to kill Simon and all his household. He and the other thieves left at Simon’s house three horses with saddles and bridles, which were appraised at 45 shillings in the full county court on 15th August and delivered to Renhold. Note that B Young, then sheriff, took the horses and harnesses in full county court for the use of the lord Edward [i.e. the future King Edward I (1272-1307) who was actually the sheriff, with Young his under-sheriff]. Inquest before Godfrey Rouland, coroner, by Renhold, Great Barford, Wilden and Goldington: as above”.

At the eyre Simon’s wife Sabina was also said to have been wounded and Roger to have been beheaded (making it rather difficult for him to confess his crime later). Andrew was ordered to be exacted and outlawed. He and the other evildoers, who were unknown, had chattels worth 49 shillings and sixpence, which were forfeited; the said sheriff and the Abbot of Old Warden were amerced for taking them without warrant and Renhold, Goldington, Wilden and Bolnhurst for falsely appraising them before the coroner.

Later that year evildoers struck again: “At twilight on 9th December 1267 thieves came to Henry Ailwit’s house at Renhold, broke its wall, entered and struck Henry in the body with a knife. His wife Alice went out and raised the hue, which was followed, and the neighbours came. The felons took away all the goods of the house. Henry had the rites of the church and died the same night. Inquest before the same coroner [Simon the Red] by Renhold, Goldington, Wilden and Great Barford: as above. Alice found pledges, Roger le Messer and Simon de la Rivere, both of Renhold”.

At the eyre the chattels, worth four shillings, of Richard le Monner of Renhold were forfeited because he had fled on suspicion for Henry’s death. He was in the tithing of Hugh le Bedel in Renhold, which was amerced for not producing him at the eyre. But he was not suspected and it was ordered that he could return if he wished.

“On the night of 29th March 1271 Walter le Bedel of Renhold came to the house of his wife, Isabel daughter of Reynold, in Ravensden and asked her to come with him to Renhold barn to get a bushel of wheat which he wished to give her for her boys, and she went with him. When they reached “Longemade” meadow, he immediately struck her over the left ear, apparently with a knife, giving her a wound three inches long and in depth to the brain, and afterwards threw her into “Ravenesbrok” stream. The next day her mother Maud, Reynold’s wife, first found her dead, raised the hue, which was followed, and found pledges, Roger Newebonde and Walter Alfred of Ravensden. The neighbours were attached: Richard the Smith by Walter Alfred and Hugh le Wyte; William Engayne by John Sauvage and Richard the Smith; Hugh Yzer by Roger le Neubonde and Richard the Smith; Richard son of Geoffrey by Reynold the Reeve and Roger le Neubonde; all the pledges were of Ravensden. Inquest before the same coroner [R of Goldington] by Goldington, Renhold and Ravensden as one township, Bolnhurst and Wilden: as above. Asked about Walter’s chattels, they said that he had a lamb at Wilden, which was appraised at twelve pence and delivered to Wilden and no other goods. They did not know in whose tithing he was”.

At the eyre it was ordered that Walter, who had immediately fled, be exacted and outlawed. His chattels were forfeited, and the Abbot of Old Warden, whose servant he was, was made answerable for twelve pence which he owed him for his service. The abbot was also amerced because Walter was in his mainpast. It was later found that Walter had been hanged before the justices at Bedford.

These four cases may make it seem as if Renhold was a particularly violent place. In fairness, there seem to be many more 13th century coroners records surviving for the Barford Hundred than any other part of the county. In general society was more violent than today, with many more murders per head of population. The coroners records show that it was not just in the office of sheriff that medieval Bedfordshire resembled the Wild West!